Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Sympathy for the Pats Fans

After sleeping on this one for a couple of days, I have come to the conclusion that I am actually somewhat feeling bad for them, or I guess you could say, sympathetic. Most sports fans can relate to what it feels like to taste defeat. But most sports fans do not know what it feels like to see your favorite team go 18-0, only to lose the final game of what was considered a dream season. I'm sure the Pats would gladly trade anyone of their 16 regular season wins for a win in the Super Bowl, but it was not meant to be. I tried to think this morning of my greatest disappointment in sports. What I remembered was not a very pleasant memory.

It was just 2 years ago, that I, a very passionate Mets fan was rooting for my team during game 7 of the NLCS against the Cardinals. That season, our expectations were so high that we could almost taste a World Series victory. Had the Mets won the NLCS they would have easily been the favorites against the Tigers.

Game 7 was an epic battle played between two teams - one whom was the clear favorite, and the other a sizeable underdog (at least on paper). Watching as every pitch, every inning went by - I kept waiting for the one moment that would give Mets fans the hope and the assurance of knowing we would face another day. That moment came when Endy Chavez made the greatest play I have ever seen. On a fly ball to deep left field - Endy leaped before he even reached the warning track and literally smacked into the wall as his glove reached up over top of the wall to pull back a definite home run. He then, in one motion, turned and fired to Reyes who fired to Delgado to double up the Cardinals and end the inning. The crowd went wild - I was up off my couch screaming! That was our moment. That was our Eli to Tyree moment! That was the play that would have been talked about for years! That ended the 5th inning , and with the score tied at 1, the Mets faithful knew that the momentum had finally shifted in their favor. But the offense could not respond and when Benji Molina hit his go ahead run in the top of the 9th inning, I think I shared the same feelings that my Pats friends shared when Eli hit Burress with 35 seconds left to play - unbelief! A few moments later, Adam Weinright struck out Carlos Beltan to end the game, and on that dreadful October evening, I simply hit power on the TV, went up to my room - and pounded the pillow for about 10 minutes. Complete Disappointment!

2006 was to be our year. This was the team that was built to win it all! But we were left with questions and no answers, only talk of next year (which I don't have to remind you - didn't work out so well either)

We watch sports because we love the game. We desire the thrill of victory - we root with all our hearts for our teams that we grew up watching. We love to see them win - we hate to see them lose. For some - they are used to losing (Philadelphia / Cleveland), but for those in Boston who had every reason to believe their team was going to do something that has never been done before in the history of the NFL - well this has to hurt pretty bad. They have my sympathy.